Slander In School

[ouchies999]

My daughter goes to a boarding school. Her own roommate brought accusations against her (cheating, stealing, hacking). Since the accusations were made, my daughter returned home on a personal leave to avoid the hostile environment of the room. There is no proof that any of these accusations are true but the school is still in the process of investigating. We asked that her roommate be changed. The school asked my daughter to keep all of the allegations completely confidentail.

The day after my daughter left campus, the school administrators wrote a mass email to all students and faculty listing what my daughter was accused of. This is after we were told to keep quiet, and after my daughter had left--so she had no way to defend herself. A mass email is also not the normal practice in a disciplinary matter at the school. In fact this is the first time it has ever happened.

The school is in New Mexico.
While my daughter was away from school, a school administrator told her friends she knew "they were lying to protect her (my daughter)." Another administrator assured the roommate that she was the "victim" and my daughter the "causer of trouble." They have also assured the roommate that it will be my daughter who is forced to leave the room.

Can we bring a lawsuit against the school for libel and/or slander? The mass email put her integrity in question for all students and teachers. And the administration, who are supposed to be conducting an impartial investigation, has issued some very biased statements, implying that they have already decided who is guilty or innocent.

[aaron]

Nothing is stopping you from hiring a lawyer to sue the school, if that's what you wish to do.